


Strings

by stibnite



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Drabble, Gen, One Shot, Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Violinist Akaashi Keiji, bokuto is observant, can be read as ship if you squint, platonic BokuAka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:22:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27795307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stibnite/pseuds/stibnite
Summary: In which Akaashi plays the violin, and Bokuto has realisations.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji & Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 16
Kudos: 54





	Strings

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first attempt at writing a fic. This was pretty impromptu, I was listening to Tchaik's concerto, and I imagined Akaashi playing it, and now here we are!

Bokuto glanced at his watch, it read 7:20 pm. The Captains' meeting had lasted longer than Bokuto would've liked. The long talk about club finances had left Bokuto's brain rather drained, and all he wanted now was to head home. Akaashi had said he'd wait for him outside the clubroom, but he was nowhere to be found. Bokuto made an annoyed noise.  _ They would miss their train!  _

_ Maybe he already left _ , Bokuto thought. But it was very unlike Akaashi to not keep his word.  _ He must be somewhere in the school premises. _

Bokuto passed Fukurodani's music practice room as he searched for Akaashi. He had gone three steps past it when he halted, hearing the sound of a violin. It was an uneven sound, a jumble of notes.  _ Tuning _ , Bokuto's mind supplied. Curious about who was playing so late, he walked towards the practice room and peeked in.

It was Akaashi.

_ Oh yeah _ , Bokuto remembered.  _ Akaashi did play the violin.  _ Bokuto recalled the frequent times the dark-haired boy had brought a big violin case along with him, and insisted on keeping it on his lap when they travelled by train.

Akaashi was standing in the corner of the music room, beside a large, black piano. He had shrugged his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. Seemingly satisfied with his tuning, Akaashi started a recording in his phone, which he had paired with a small Bluetooth speaker. Unaware of Bokuto watching him, Akaashi positioned his violin on his shoulder, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. An orchestra started playing from the speakers.

Akaashi had still not noticed Bokuto, who had now slipped in and had taken a seat near the room's entrance. Akaashi's posture was relaxed, fingers slightly curled around his bow and face serene as he listened to the orchestral introduction, which was now reaching a crescendo.

Akaashi raised his hand which held the bow, and started playing. Bokuto was transfixed. Akaashi played gracefully, his dainty setter hands gliding through the finger-board with practiced ease, other hand in precise upbows and downbows. His face showed an expression of utmost, dedicated concentration, a look Bokuto rarely saw on Akaashi. The only time he saw it was between matches, but those were only fleeting glances whenever Akaashi set to him. Usually Akaashi’s face was devoid of expression, except times when he was annoyed (Bokuto’s fault) or slightly amused, when his lips slightly turned up in a hint of a smile (also Bokuto’s fault). 

If you asked Bokuto, the piece Akaashi was playing right now seemed sad. Troubled. Bokuto thought that it suited Akaashi. Even though he didn’t show it, Akaashi really doubted himself. Bokuto hated that.  _ Akaashi should not be doubting himself. He’s an amazing setter, and he always gives his 120% in matches! _ No matter how much Bokuto asked of him, he always delivered.

Akaashi kept playing, and the music became more energetic. And Akaashi’s face became more concentrated. His eyebrows scrunched and relaxed periodically. The orchestra was now playing a phrase and Akaashi stopped, but his eyes were still closed, listening intently to the outburst of violins and woodwinds. He started playing again after a while. Bokuto could not stop staring at his nimble hands as he played fast parts with ease. His timing with the orchestral recording was impeccable. Bokuto wasn’t a musician, but he could recognise the years of practice that were put in the swells of music.

Bokuto didn’t know how much time had passed, the orchestra was reaching a crescendo and so was Akaashi. He finished with a graceful downbow and sighed. Little beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and he had a faint smile on his face. Bokuto waited for a few seconds, not wanting to bring Akaashi out of his enrapture, and then started clapping.

“Akaaaashi! That was so cool!”

Akaashi turned to look at him, a mildly shocked expression in his face.

“Bokuto-san. How long have you been here?”

“About the time you began playing, actually. What’s the piece called?”

Akaashi looked at him in disbelief. Bokuto didn’t understand why.

“It was the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto.”

“The first of Chaiko what? Never mind! THAT WAS SO AMAZING AKAASHI, YOUR FINGERS WERE MOVING SO FAST, AND IT SOUNDED SO NICE!”

“Thank you, Bokuto-san.” Akaashi did his faintly-amused face. Bokuto liked this face. He wanted to see it more.

“Ah Akaashi, it’s getting late. We should head home.”

Akaashi was still looking at him concernedly. “Yes, Bokuto-san.”

Bokuto looked at his watch. It was almost 8 pm. And then he realised it was probably the longest time he had ever sat still. Bokuto was dumbfounded from this realisation. He was a restless person, and he usually couldn’t focus on one task for too long, except volleyball. This was… new.

“Bokuto-san, is everything alright?” Right. It was probably unnerving for Akaashi to see Bokuto this quiet. Bokuto couldn’t blame him, he was stunned at himself as well.

“I’m fine Akaashi! Totally fine-o. Fine as a fiddle!” Bokuto replied.

The little smile Bokuto liked returned on Akaashi’s face. “If you say so. Also, the idiom goes ‘fit as a fiddle’.”

“Right! I totally already knew that! You get my point!” Bokuto said, as they kept walking along an almost empty street.

They had ultimately missed their train. But oddly, Bokuto didn’t seem to mind as much.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> There are many recordings of the concerto, but my personal favourite is [Hilary Hahn's version](https://open.spotify.com/track/5yyWkqPnm6pXSLmKXbW6dB)  
> Constructive criticism/advice is always welcome!  
> Come scream at me about Haikyuu on [my twitter!](https://twitter.com/boludokawa)


End file.
